Is Grass Healthy for Your Cat?

By Stacey Brecher

If your cat has ever nibbled away on the fresh grass outside, or if you’ve seen the grass you can grow in the pet store to feed your cat, you may have wondered: Is this healthy for her?

As it turns out, cat grass is a great addition to your cat’s diet, and it provides many nutritional benefits. Although cats are carnivores by nature, they do also crave plants. Growing cat grass in your home is a great solution.

“Cat grass is a natural source of fiber,” explains Natalie Douranos, marketing communications manager of Cat & Dog, Rolf C. Hagen Inc. “It aids digestion and prevents hairball build-up. It brings the nutritious benefits of the outdoors indoors, but without the pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers that can be found on lawns and outdoor plants. “

If you’d like to consider growing some inside for your cat, there are different seed mixtures to pick from. Douranos recommends a product called Catit Senses Grass Garden Kit. “This product uses a mixture of wheat and barley, so that it’s easy to grow and ensures the grass grows in a very erect position, which appeals to the cats since they want something to chew on,” she said. “In addition, the structure of this type of grass prevents the cats from eating the vermiculite underneath.” This type of seed also prolongs the growing period, so that all of the grass doesn’t germinate at the same time.

When it comes to outdoor grass, you’ll want to be on the lookout for hazards such as pesticides and fertilizers. Outdoor grass may not be as effective, and could even cause your cat to become ill. The cat grass found in kits is, according to Douranos, most effective, and the greenest alternative. Your cat will appreciate the addition of a taste of the outdoors inside your home.

Keep
in mind that it’s also important to monitor your cat’s consumption of the
grass. If she is eating too much, she may get diarrhea from all of the fiber.
If this happens, remove her access to grass until her tummy gets back to normal
and she can happily enjoy the grassy treat again.

Stacey Brecheris a freelance writer. She has contributed to Animal Fair magazine, and her blogs have previously appeared on The Dog Daily.